A Heart to Heart
by A Nerd In The Corner
Summary: A Harvest Moon - Animal Parade inspired series. The young, but well known violinist, Anna Orian has finally held out long enough from pursuing her dreams. Abandoning a life of 'luxury' for hard work and nature, she's ready to take the leap. Just... how far will she jump, and will there be someone there to catch her if she falls?
1. A Decision

"You will not. You have come too far to just abandon your talent for. For- for plants!"

"Oh yes I will, you just watch."

The last conversation, if you could call it that, between a determined young woman and a stubborn father; ended in Ann practically slamming her door into the next season as her father continued to protest at her from the other side of their expensive flat. Unsure of what to do, the only thing that came to her mind was 'pack.' Sending a reluctant glance to the corner of her room, where a grand bookshelf sat full of sheet music and various awards in the forms of plaques or ribbons, Ann started picking up things and separating them out on her bed. Adjacent, a shelf equally loved was full of wildlife; flora and fauna alike. Both of these passions were dear to her heart, yet since the passing of her mother she had found less and less time for nature. She spent most of her time practicing or performing to keep a smile on her father's face. Though it had been almost a year now, and she couldn't remember the last performance that actually made her smile in a genuine sense.

"I'm doing it. I'm leaving, and I'm going to be happy." She mumbled to herself, stuffing treasured things into a backpack with her initials embroidered along the front pocket. "For you and me…" Ann added, placing a hand on a framed photo of her mother. It was always on the table right beside her bed, but she neatly tucked it in between the folds of a checkered scarf in the middle pocket. From there, she moved to pack a few other necessities into a small trunk, setting it by the door next to her violin case. The backpack, set on a chair as she fell face first into her pillows. Despite her age, in this moment she felt incredibly younger than it.

All her life she had lead those around her with the utmost certainty, no matter the situation. Yet… now when it came to her own path, she suddenly felt very small, as if turning a doorknob even would be too tiresome a task. The drive to remain resolute in her decision was faintly rekindled when her phone made a soft chime, like the cooing of a dove on the windowsill. Blessed by the interruption of her self pitying, Ann rolled over to pick up the phone.

'I heard you finally made the choice! Let me know which ship you take, I'll meet you at the docks! Can't wait to see you again! xoxo -Renee''

The message shone softly in a pale light and appealing letters, she never did like the typical fonts that came with everyone's typical doings. A smile formed - faintly, though it was there at the name attached to the message.

 _That's right._ Ann thought, _For the both of us, and Renee._

'I'm taking the first I can in the morning. It'll be great to see you again! I can't wait either.' She responded, turning the phone face down and setting it on the bedside table. A quickly cast glance was sent towards her door, the lights downstairs had seemingly been turned off. She'd tuned her father out so quickly, she hadn't even noticed he stopped yelling. Briefly, a twinge of guilt entered her mind, though faded as the lights in her own room faded out due to the lack of motion in it.

"A queue from up there, huh, mom? You're right… I should sleep." Ann thought aloud, sighing it almost as she adjusted just enough to get comfortable, but not enough to turn the light back on.

It was only a matter of hours before Ann stirred awake again. The room was cool, considering she'd failed to care enough to pull any sort of blanket over her. But it was just enough of a bite to keep her from stalling any longer. With a bit of hesitance, she stood and stretched. Light filtered in between the curtains, casting a strange glow on her packed things. A sight like that was enough for her, a blessing from her mother she felt, and a motivation to get going.

Quietly, she sauntered down the steps. If awake, the last her father would see was her confidently leaving, and ready to start anew. Only… it was far too early, even for a man of his stern and ready nature, to be awake. A second relief, for the young rebel.

"So far," she sighed, turning the front door's handle, "so good." she finished, as the door opened. Fresh air ruffled her hair gently. The gesture from mother nature immediately brought a smile to her face, and perk to her step.

Roughly an hour passed as Ann made her way to the train station, it would only be another 20 minute ride to the ferries, but something felt off. Ann felt the air change around her home city, suffocatingly stiff, and a bit more windy than usual. She hadn't realized it, but her peppy walking had become a much faster pace as something willed her to hurry. The sky looked as it always did, blue - but very bleak, there were hardly any clouds to protest. Greenery, what little there was, around her noticeably flinched at a rougher gust of wind. At that point, she'd noticed the birds had gone a bit quieter than normal, only chirping here and there if she passed them.

Hurriedly, Ann boarded the city transport to the docks. She had her fairs covered for months now, it was just a matter of when she got the courage to start the new life. The 20 minute ride went over smoothly, though the sky had other thoughts on the matter. Thick, grey clouds were rolling in from the east of the city, slowly but surely reaching out over the waters. It wasn't abnormal for it to rain during the early spring, but so suddenly? This was a bit strange, and Ann wasn't the only one who thought so.

As she made her way up to one of the ferries that went all the way out to Castanet, the captain shook his head at her. "It's lookin' dangerous miss." He stated, pointing up at the sky. "I'm not sure y'want to go so soon, if that catches us, it'll be no good real fast."

She nodded, following his gesture up to the sky. The bleak blue sky had turned a menacing black, as if someone spilled an ink well over it that had an endless supply of the dark liquid. Ann remembered something from a myth, about a father's wrath causing a storm over the seas to rise quickly and unannounced. A chill ran down her spine, causing her to sort of hug herself. Despite the captain's words, she still felt persistent.

"Do you think you could handle the storm, sir?" She asked, a certain gleam in her eye that told the old man how urgent it was to her. With a sigh, he glanced up to the sky again, giving a single nod to her. "Thank you, sir, thank you!" was all she could manage before an attempt to hug the gentleman, to which he merely chuckled before ushering her onto the ship.

* * *

AN: Hello! This is something I'm doing to fill time at work, since things are quiet overnights. It sort of has a plan, but nothing in absolute concrete... Mostly based off of, roughly mind you, the play through of Animal Parade I had a few years back. Not all is canon, so please understand. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy!


	2. A Slippery First Step

For the start of the ride, it seemed as though they'd beat the rushing storm. The captain was optimistic, and there was something about chasing a blue horizon that gave Ann a little more determination than she had earlier. After a brief conversation, Ann asked if it would be safe to take a small nap. Pascal, as the elderly gent had introduced himself, said it shouldn't be much of a problem; so long as she didn't mind the rocking from the waves.

To her surprise, since this was her first time on such a small ship, the rocking was incredibly peaceful. This was likely the fastest she'd ever fallen asleep. A very, very short lived sleep. Thunder cracked loudly overhead, and frantic pattering from rain replaced the gentle swaying of the earlier waves.

"Miss Ann! It may be be- achk" Pascal yelled from outside of the ferrie's cabin. "Best to hold on to something!"

 _Hold on..?_ Ann thought, looking around for something to hold tightly onto. The boat was having a difficult time staying upright, leaning in whatever direction the waves told it to. _Oh no, he was right all along…_ A second twinge of guilt started to creep into her mind. _What if this ends terribly…_

Peeking her head up to look out one of the windows, a small island's silhouette was defined by a flash of lightning. Hope. Safety? Several other small thoughts flew through her head. "He'll make it, I'm sure…" Ann mumbled to herself. Pascal himself new Toucan Island wasn't too far off, but at this rate it was in the hands of the Goddess if they made it.

"C-can we make it?!" Ann finally called out to Pascal, hoping he could hear her over the storm's voice.

"By the Goddess I hope we do!" He called back.

It wasn't much further, though navigating safely to the dock was going to be a bit more difficult.

On shore, things were much more calm. Even though the rain and wind shook the small inn once and a while, it's inhabitants were happily enjoying a feast of fish. A silver haired young man sat quietly, often teased by the rest of them for being so isolated. The window and what was going on outside was much more interesting to him, he'd never seen such a storm arise out of the blue like this one had. And now… _What was that on the horizon?_ He thought to himself, placing his hands on the windowsill. As lightning struck again, the familiar boat's silhouette showed more clearly. "Pascal!?"

The other three looked over quizzically, "Pascal?" the younger girl said, marching over to the window and practically shoving the boy aside. "Where? I only see rai- oh my goddess that is his ship. Toby we have to go help!" She yelled, grabbing onto the silver haired boy's arm and dragging him out into the storm.

"S-Selena, wait." Toby tried to speak over thunder, but he wasn't sure if he was simply not heard or purposefully ignored by the redhead. What could they do from the docks? It was too dangerous to try and sail out to them, and the wind would knock back anything they tried to send out. Selena herself was having a hard time standing in one place due to the wind. "Selena! What is your plan?"

"WHAAAT?" She screeched back, her hair was plastered to her face from the water.

"WHAT. IS. YOUR. PLAAAN." Toby yelled back, trying to keep his sun hat from flying off despite it being tied around his shoulders.

"I thought you would have one!" Selena exclaimed, stomping her foot on the wooden dock.

If she could really saw Toby's eyes, they would have majorly rolled at that. _Dragging me out here with no plan, gees…_

The two quipped ideas back and forth, most ultimately shut down by Selena to the point Toby stopped suggesting things. That however, was not stopping Pascal or his ship. They were only a few miles out now, the problem was staying straight. No matter the efforts made by the old captain and Ann, the poor ship could only manage to hold straight through a few crashing waves before steering off course again.

 _We can do this…_ Ann thought to herself, using all her weight to hold the ship's wheel in place while Pascal tried to retie part of the sail back to the mast. The sail slapped him in the face a few times, being out of control due to the wind. _There's gotta be something more than this…_ All she could see was rain unless lightning struck. With what little, and brief, light it gave, things could be seen rolling around the deck from the constant motion. Except… for one thing. The anchor. Properly attached to the side of the boat and unmoved.

"What if we use the anchor?!" Ann yelled over the rain, looking over her shoulder at Pascal.

"For what, dearie? We want to keep moving!" He replied, his voice was strained and he sounded pretty tired.

"It'll make it easier to go straight! Won't it?!" she reasoned, startled by a crack of thunder that went simultaneously with a flash of lightning. At that moment, a light bulb went off in Pascal's mind. Once he had the sail refastened to the mast he hurried over to the anchor.

"That jus' might work." he said more to himself, though he slipped on the slick surface of the dock. "Oof!"

It took a minute for him to get back to his feet, Ann wanted to rush over and help him, but should she had let go of the wheel… who knows what would have happened to the both of them. Patting off water from his coat, even though it hardly did a thing, Pascal started unraveling the ropes that held the anchor in place. With a strong hoist, he plopped it right down into the water. A solid 'thunk' sound came from the impact. Ann watched hopefully on the horizon ever flash she could, it was so close, but would the boat even be able to stop close enough?

Each raindrop that hit the top of her head made her worry more. The ship was moving much slower, and the anchor drop made it easier to steer, but something still made her stomach churn. Then it happened, the anchor was wedged in coral far below the ship, and despite the wind's power forwards was not an option anymore. Sideways however, most definitely was…


	3. Fading Light

The sky wasn't brightening up with flashes of lightning anymore. Or at least, none that Ann could see. Everything was cold, and each breath she tried to take was stolen the second it was attempted. The rain and thunder that sounded overhead were so muffled, they sounded miles away. But they were only a few feet up, up above the water's surface. A few heavy moments passed, and Ann couldn't tell where she was, or what was happening anymore. Her surroundings were quickly fading away as the sea opened it's arms to her.

On shore, it was a horrid sight to see. Two strikes of lightning showed it beginning to end. A wave, the ship capsizing, and then nothing. Selena sunk to her knees on the deck, a soft, "Oh… oh no." falling from her lips as the realization sunk in. As she turned to Toby, she noticed the ship wasn't the only thing missing at this point. The young fisherman had also disappeared, from the dock at least. The second he saw the ship turn, Toby took off from the deck. Abandoning his sun hat and sandals, he was determined to get to Pascal. Running out into the water, he tried to measure how much distance the ship had made from where he remembered seeing it last. Two, three miles maybe? Despite how rough the waters were, he'd made the swim before, and he was determined to do it again.

Pascal had managed to cling to a piece of his beloved ship that was able to float. Toby's silver hair stood out on the water, and Pascal used every bit of voice he had left to call out to the boy. Toby himself was trying to stay as calm as possible, the waves were overwhelming, and each one pushed him back half the distance he'd swam. To the two, it felt like forever before Toby reached Pascal, and started helping him back to shore.

"Ann, yo-achk." Pascal tried to warn, "You have to help Ann."

 _Ann?_ Toby thought, but he agreed to the old captain's request. There was no one else in sight, surely another human would be visible, the only thing in the area was floating wood and a bag or two. Which Toby assumed was Pascal's.

As soon as Pascal was able to stand, his first thought went to the young miss he was bringing to Harmonica Town. There was no sight of her, or her things, and the more he went on about it the more Toby and Selena thought he hit his head.

"I'll look, for a short while but if I find no one, that's that." Toby said, a knot forming in his stomach as he made the decision. He ushered for Selena to take the older gentleman inside while he walked towards where the waves were licking the sand. With each flash of lightning, Toby hoped someone appeared on the harsh horizon. But there was no one. Even most of the debris and luggage had sunk well down to the bottom. "I really hope he just hit his head…" Toby muttered to himself, the knot of guilt in his stomach growing an inch or two at the thought of potentially allowing another person to drown.

* * *

Author's Note: Yo, this is a little shorter, sorry about that. ^- ^' I've had a busy few nights of work.


	4. A Shimmer of Hope

Author's Note: I have nothing against the name Helen, it's just what popped into my head.

* * *

Helen, as Selena named the storm, was starting to die down. There was less rain than wind now, bits and pieces of Pascal's poor boat were starting to wash ashore. The poor man had completely passed out from exhaustion on one of the sofas in Toucan Island's Inn, and Sue was looking over him.

Toby still felt a sinking feeling in his stomach, and kept glancing out the windows at the shore line. Once debris started collecting on the sand, he made the excuse of getting Pascal's things to go make sure he was right in coming back in without looking very hard.

Wood, a pole, fishing nets. Countless little items were scattered across the white sands. _Eh.. I worried for nothing it seems…_ Toby thought to himself, picking up one of the bags he presumed was Pascal's, until some of its contents spilled out. A photo of a young girl, about his age, and who he thought could only be her father along with a necklace hit the sand. Upon flipping it over, 'Anna's 21st Birthday' was written on the back. _Oh… no._ Toby's mind immediately went into a state of panic. Dropping everything and running out to the water again.

Left, nothing, right, nothing. The water had even calmed down enough to see the reef underneath the waves again. Crystal clear waters dotted with pink and purple coral. Fish hadn't quite come back out yet, but there was… something near the bottom of one of the coral formations. Toby took a few more steps into the water, his already drenched pants absorbing more water. _No… nono…_

Without second thought, he dove back out into the water, using every last bit of energy he had to make it out to the reef. Luckily, the water never bothered Toby's eyes; it was just as easy to see under the water as it was above it. However, that luck would soon turn to a very, very unlucky sight.

 _The girl… and I'm too late…_ Toby thought, trying his best to hold his breath long enough to make it down to her. In his mind, the fact she'd sunk so far down meant it was far too late. The water made her body so light once he had made it down to her. He kicked as hard as he could, the burning sensation in his lungs was starting to hurt. _Please, please be alright…_ he pleaded, hoping she might hear his thoughts.

Trudging up onto the sand, Selena and her mother saw Toby with the lifeless girl from the windows. Immediately running out to aid, Sue grabbed a dry towel on her way out. When they arrived, Toby was shaking, lightly nudging Ann's hand. She wasn't moving, and from what Sue could tell on arrival, she wasn't breathing either. "She's… sh-she's g-gone… i-isn't s-she…" Toby stuttered through, a solemn expression falling over his face. She looked at peace, despite what brought her to this state.

"I don't know." Sue said, even her voice was wavering as she set the towel behind Ann's head. She leaned down, listening for any sign of breathing. There was none, and Sue's heart sank for a split second before trying CPR. None of them had any way of knowing how long Ann had been down there, but it was affecting Toby the most. Selena tried to comfort him, telling him things would be fine, and that it wasn't really his fault. None of the consoling was working, and he just sat there trembling with Ann's hand in his own.

He didn't know her, but he'd failed her.

Sue was trying with everything she could muster to get Ann breathing again. Hushed numbers came with each press she made to Ann's chest, and the occasional 'come on,' or 'wake up' was whispered. After a while, Toby had completely given up, and took his hand from Ann's to Sue's shoulder.

"She's gone… just, stop…" He said quietly. Sue looked up, shock in her eyes at his words.

"No." She said, with a shake of her head, "We have to keep trying."

"She's gone, Sue!" His voice raised, he actually looked like he might start crying at any moment.

Toby was never one to be stern, Sue had known him since he was little, and this reaction made her look up. "We will keep trying." She repeated, though hadn't looked back down at Ann's lifeless body.

She was still there, but not in the sense the others were. A floating, faint string held her together, like a strand of a spiderweb in the wind. To Ann, it was just like she was walking through a dark room, until there was the soft sound of jingling.

When she turned around, a figure stood before her, from it a familiar scent wafted towards her. Like floral perfume. "M-mom…?" Ann called out, the delicate green light shimmering from behind the woman made it hard to tell features after being in the dark for so long.

"You must wake up," the woman called, the soft jingling returning as something glittered around her head. It looked like what fairies were described as in books. "my child, wake up." And like that, she was gone.

As everything faded out of Ann's vision, she felt the same clutch on her lungs as the first time. With each attempted breath, her chest burned... but with every strained cough her lungs could muster there was a slight relief.

The short and ragged breathing came as a relief to the two hovering over her as well. Sue laughed softly in relief, lifting Ann's head slightly in trying to help her sit up. While relieved, Selena did her best to play it off as though she knew Ann would be alright, smacking Toby's arm.

"See, and you wanted to give up…" She whispered in a failed attempt to cheer him up. Toby's only response was acceptance, and a weak smile. If she hadn't woken up, he'd be sobbing, but the fact she had made him cry just the same.

For Ann, everything was cold, and her body was trembling from the shock. None of the three were familiar to her, but then again, what was? _Where… am I?_ She thought hazily, looking up with a distant gloss in her eyes at Sue. "Wh-wh…" only came out as light wheezing.

"Shh, shh, we will explain." Sue cooed, gently rocking Ann from side to side. "When you have recovered."

Ann's eyes shifted between the two women's faces, and then up to the sky. The blue was starting to show through clouds again, but something was amiss. Ann sat up a bit more on her own, only to start hacking up salt water for a moment, but when she looked up her gaze met Toby's concerned expression. It was still somewhat evident he'd been crying, Ann could tell, considering the other two didn't appear to be wet from rain or sea water.

"Don't cry..." she whispered, "I'm sure things will be fine, if you smile."


	5. The Knight with a Sun Hat

"If you smile"

Those words kept repeating in Toby's head throughout the rest of the day. He'd helped Ann to her feet and inside, as she was quite a bit taller than Sue was. Given everything she'd gone through in the past few hours, walking was a task that she really needed help with.

"S-sorry, I just can't really.. .feel my legs yet.. aheh.." Ann said embarrassedly. She had her arm around Toby's neck, holding on fairly tight.

He didn't seem to mind, and instead stopped to pick her up, "It's my fault… don't worry about it." He whispered, surprised at how light she was… though it could have been the adrenaline that hadn't worn off yet.

Being swept off her feet wasn't something she'd expected, her cheeks flushed red in more embarrassment, but Toby didn't seem to be looking at her often. _I don't even know his name, and he's carrying me…_ Her thoughts felt like just a little voice. Maybe it was simply due to how tired she was, because with each step Toby took forwards she fell asleep a little more.

Selena rolled her eyes, she'd always had a small crush on Toby. Mostly because he never put up a fight and would do her favors all the time. Not to mention he'd listen for hours and always gave good advice. Seeing him carrying Ann like she was some sort of princess made her a bit jealous.

"Eh, um. Could one of you get the door?" Toby said quietly, interrupting Selena's train of thought. Despite being a simple fisherman, he had a good amount of strength in him to hold Ann, but getting the door at the same time was a bit difficult; dropping her was a big worry on his mind already. "Soon… uh, please."

"What, aren't you a man?" Selena asked him with a smirk.

A few steps behind them, Selena was snickering about how adorable he was to pick her up like that. Sue, her mother, tugged her arm back as they got closer to the Inn. "You shush, Selena." Sue said with a frown, "He was beyond worried, and you understand why. Now is not the time to tease the poor boy. Besides, are _you_ going to carry her? You hardly ever carry your own belongings."

Toby squinted, more so than he normally did, but this time out of slight annoyance. "Thanks."

At first Toby was going to set Ann down on one of the lobby chairs, Sue however stopped him, "She deserves a bed, come don't worry about the cost." With a nod, he followed behind her, Ann still asleep in his arms. He could tell she wasn't going to be woken easily, her grip around his neck. There was still a small fear she wouldn't wake up again, it was only kept at bay since he could feel her breathing calmly.

"Here, I'll call the doctor in the morning." Sue said, brushing hair behind her ears. She looked like a worried mother, which put Toby at ease. "Though, I suppose Pascal can't bring him here now for a while…"

Toby stayed quiet a moment after he'd laid Ann down, she looked at peace once more. "I.. can get him in the morning. My boat can handle it."

Sue could tell Toby didn't really want to leave the girl's side. "Samson should be home tomorrow, we can ask him to do it." Her smile meant she was just as worried and understood without him having to say anything.

He waited a few minutes for anything to go south as he sat on the edge of the bed. The smell of salt water was still so strong in the air, considering both of them were at one point drenched in it. Once he'd decided she would be okay, he moved over to a chair near the door, settling into it with a sigh. _If I smile… things will be okay, huh?_ The fact she'd said that after such a bad thing happening did make him smile, faintly.

Toby hadn't realized how exhausted he was himself till the quiet of the room hit him. The sun had gone down, the animals on the island had likely all settled into their homes as well. _I guess it was a good thing I was here today._ He thought, though it was distant as he started to doze off.

* * *

Author's Note: Yo~ Kind of short, but I thought it was a good stopping place! Thank you for reading this far, and I hope you're enjoying it! Feel free to ask questions and the like, as always reviews are welcome and appreciated!


	6. Missing Pieces

Light gently filtered in through the window of the small room. Changes in lighting always stirred Ann awake, even when she was a child. After blinking her eyes a few times, all the contents of the room started to come into focus. Granted, she hardly remembered anything, but this wasn't the last place she'd seen. Looking out of the window, there was a beach glittering with crystal clear waters and palm trees. A sight that made her relax a little, until she saw Toby asleep in the corner.

 _U-uh… who is… he?_ She panicked, bringing the blankets up closer around her as she sat up. Her clothes were stiff, and the scent of salt started to wake her up more. Though no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't remember anything. Where was she? Why was she here, and most importantly, who was the boy in the corner.

A soft knock on the door stirred him awake, and Ann withdrew into her blanket. Toby blinked sleepily, turning his head towards the door as it opened cautiously. A man with sleek, long black hair entered the room, a concerned expression behind a set of oval glasses.

"Good morning, uhm, Ann? I take it? Ah- hello Toby…" He spoke quietly. All of his words were clear and crisp, as if he had said them with a greater importance than they had.

Ann nodded, but her expression gave it away that she was not only very confused, but incredibly nervous too. Taking it into consideration, the man whispered something to Toby who gave Ann a worried look, but begrudgingly nodded and left the room.

"I don't want to frighten you further," The man started, "My name is Jin Seiyung, I'm a doctor." he stated, pulling the chair Toby once slept in next to Ann's bed before sitting down. "You look very confused, are you feeling alright?"

For a second, Ann studied his face. He felt familiar, but there was no recollection of any memories with him in them. Or… in fact, any memories at all. "My… head sort of hurts." She answered, lowering the blanket as she did. "I, don't know where I am… who was that guy in the corner? How did I get here…?" She asked all at once, pausing only when her thoughts changed.

"Well," Jin said, "let's start from the beginning. You're on Toucan Island, in the Inn resting. The boy in the corner, his name is Toby, he looked after you." Ann nodded slowly, and Jin took that as a sign to continue. "What is the last thing that you remember, Miss Anna?" He said softly. Something about his personality was relaxing, but it didn't help the void in her mind. No matter how recent of a memory she tried to reach, there was just darkness and blurry figures.

"About… what?" Ann asked hesitantly. The fact she was tugging at the seam of the blanket made Jin worry.

"Well, let's see… Do you remember how you got here? Or why, perhaps?" His brows knitted together as he spoke.

For a while, Ann stared off in thought. The harder she tried to remember, the more her head started to hurt. "The last… thing I remember." She started, but even the memory was hit or miss. "I'm sorry… it hurts, to think backwards…" she whispered, putting her head in her hands.

 _Amnesia? Perhaps she hit her head…_ He thought. Jin made a soft humming sound before standing up, "Would you mind waiting just a moment? I have something that may help you." As Ann nodded, Jin left the room for a few minutes. When he returned, he had Ann's small backpack, and Pascal with him.

"Do you remember this gentleman at all?" Jin asked, Pascal gave a small wave and kind smile. Jin had filled him in on the potential situation, and when he heard, Pascal was heartbroken. After such a short time, the fire Ann had shown in her personality made a soft spot in his heart.

Ann blinked at him. Studying the detail in his face and his mannerism. It wasn't long before she shook her head, seeming to frown. "No? He isn't familiar…" she said softly, afraid she'd disappoint them both.

Pascal's heart sank, but he ushered Jin to hand her the bag.

In confusion, Ann looked through her belongings as if she'd never seen them before. She only lingered on one item, the photo of her and her father. "These, are all mine? Even this…?" She asked, holding up the photo. "I don't remember this, or owning these things…"

Jin and Pascal exchanged looks of concern. "Hmm.." Jin said before gesturing as a way of asking if he could sit down on the edge of the bed. Once Ann approved, he sat carefully next to her. "I'm not sure how long it may last, unfortunately…" He paused at Ann's immediate expression of fear. "Now, you're alright, but you seem to have a very strong case of amnesia…"

"Amnesia, I didn't hit my head. I just woke up here, with…"

"No memories." Jin finished. "That's what amnesia often does. They come back over time, in most cases… so please do not worry yourself, and just take your time, alright?"

Ann stared off into the space in front of her, she was having a hard time remembering things about herself too, _Amnesia…?_ "Over… how much time?" She asked softly, looking up at the Doctor. The fact Pascal was in the room completely fell away at this point. "How, do I know I'll be okay, or they are even my… memories…"

"Time will tell. Though I'm sure Pascal here can help you with how and why you are here. He was your escort after all." Jin said optimistically. Ann's spacy gloom was starting to get to him. Naturally a calm and collected individual, her situation was clinging to his conscience. "For now, let me know if anything hurts, or feels strange. Alright?"

Jin stood, smoothing out his sweater. "I'm sure you need some time to think on things. I'll be in the next room, send Pascal if you need me."

The old captain smiled, it felt familiar to Ann, just, no matter how hard she tried to figure out why, her head began to hurt. "My my.. what a little rain can do." He said quietly, seating himself in the chair next to her. That chair had seen many butts today.

 _Rain?_ "It rained?" Ann asked, "With the sun filtering in, I'd have never known…"

Pascal chuckled, "Perhaps 'a little' is an understatement. The ways of the island though, I suppose. Storms and sun." He coughed a few times before removing his hat. His hair was a light shade of grey and swept back neatly.

"Are you alright?" Ann leaned over in concern, her body was still sore, but her determination was stronger as she reached out to him.

"Ah yes, like you I got caught under the current for a bit." Pascal patted his chest, "Lungs need a little break is all."

"Under… the current?" Ann asked quizzically. Her brows knitted together as she retracted her hand.

With a sigh, Pascal put his hands on his knees. "It'll be a short story, but one hard to believe..."

* * *

Author's Note: Yo! I'm so sorry 'bout the lag in updates. I'll try to be more on top of things.

Reviews and general thoughts are more than welcome! I'm happy to hear what you nerds think!


	7. The Start of a New Chapter

Pascal's voice was soothing. Gentle, yet a little rough around the edges at times. Ann felt as though she was listening to a story about another girl, one that just so happened to share a name, rather than the retelling of the past day or so. To her, what he was recalling all sounded like her actions, or at least, the ones she thought she would take in the situations Pascal spoke about.

"So… I didn't really say why I was coming…? Just that it was important?" Ann asked. Something seemed off about the whole situation. _Surely I had a reason for being so forward about leaving…_

"No Miss, none that ya told me at least." Pascal responded sadly. "Your insistence was enough of a reason for me. Did you know anyone here perhaps -err.. I suppose y'might not remember that now hmm…" He corrected himself, looking down sadly.

Ann tried again to remember anything prior to waking up in the inn, but to no avail. It didn't help that the contents of the bag Jin had handed her were all foreign to her. "Is… this the only thing I had with me?" She asked, pointing to the backpack.

Pascal shook his head. "No miss, a trunk and an instrument case. Unfortunately we can't seem t'find those though…"

 _Instrument case…?_ Ann's brow furrowed, surely, surely something like that had memories to be found. "Huh… well… If I was heading here, maybe someone in Castanet does know why…? Surely I wasn't so silly as to just up and leave without a plan." She thought aloud, glancing up as Pascal made a quiet grunt of agreement.

"Perhaps Hamilton will know. But for now Missy, I think y'should just rest. Let the headaches pass and then get on your way again." Pascal said with a nod, returning his hat to his head and adjusting it properly. "Do you have any more questions, maybe I could help a bit longer?" His eyes looked so full of hope, Ann could tell he was genuine.

She gave a faint smile, and lightly waved her hand in a dismissive manner. "Ah- no. Not yet at least… maybe a few will pop into my head once I've processed things a bit more… Thank you for everything though, Pascal."

Pascal nodded, smiling softly in return as he stood. "Alright, I'll go see if I can find anything else of yours then."

Ann thanked him again and forced another smile before he left. Processing all that had happened, what the doctor had said especially, was a difficult task. She took it upon herself to relax a bit, and gazed out the window from the bed. _How could this happen…_ She thought, yet there was something saddeningly relieving about it all. A feeling she felt as though she hadn't experienced in a very long time.

Before she knew it, Ann had dozed off for a few hours. Soft knocking against the door followed by subtle clattering of dishes stirred her awake. When she sat up, Toby was standing half in the doorway half out in the hall. He gave a meek smile, gesturing to the tray he had in his left hand. "Ah… did I wake you up…?" Toby asked, realizing Ann had yawned.

"Just a bit… it's okay though! Ah- it was just a nap. I hadn't even known I'd fallen asleep…" Ann said with a tiny laugh, eyeing the plate as subtly as she could. Despite her effort, her stomach decided to be a little more vocal about her hungry state. "O-oh… ehahh… I guess, I'm a little hungry." She admitted, brushing short brown bangs from her face.

"Eh? Oh! R-right," Toby stuttered, for some reason he felt his cheeks heat up the closer he got to her. "Sue is a really good cook. The fish is always fresh too, oh gee, do you even like fish? I should have asked first…"

"No-no, I'm sure it's fine," she smiled, placing her hands in her lap, wanting to seem patient and not too eager to eat. "you don't have to apologize. I appreciate you taking such good care of me."

Toby handed the tray over to her, seating himself with a curious expression. "Are… you feeling alright?"

Ann looked up in mid bite, causing Toby and then herself to laugh, "Mm, much better than earlier, I think. Just… a little strange I guess. To wake up and have, no idea what's going on.."

Silence fell over the room for a short while, aside from the light clinking of Ann's fork on the plate.

 _Maybe… I shouldn't have asked that way._ Toby thought, gently tapping his fingers on his knees. While awkward at first, the two simply enjoyed each other's company with a few bits of small talk here and there until another silence fell over them "Would you- I mean, if you're up to it of course," he blurted out after a while, surprising himself even with his suddenness, "uh- well… Like to walk, around the island later… M-maybe it'll help to get some fresh air."

Ann couldn't help but giggle, Toby's demeanor was pleasant to be around after a while, considering how laid back he was, but this little outburst she found to be adorable. "That sounds nice, Toby. But, if it's possible, I'd like to change…" She said, reaching for the backpack on the bed next to her, "I was smart enough to bring money, so a price won't be a problem. If I could buy that is…"

Toby scratched the back of his head in thought, "I'm sure if you asked, Sue would loan you something… eh, why don't we ask her?"

Ann nodded, pushing the blankets away to stand up. Toby shot up immediately, watching her with concern, "Eheh, I'll be okay, you don't need to look at me like my arm will fall off." She said quietly, slipping her feet into her boots. They were still a little damp. Standing tall, she smiled, "See. I'm alright." She reassured.

"Mm… I'll- er, you can come too, I'll get Sue, though. Ah.. this way." He said stuttering over his thoughts, again feeling his cheeks pink in embarrassment. _Oh gee… why is talking to her so hard sometimes?_

Ann followed along quietly, looking at all the paintings that hung on the walls. In the lobby, Sue was busy behind the desk with a box that appeared to be filled with pamphlets. The movement however distracted her when Toby and Ann approached. "Ah! She's on her feet. So good to see!" She said enthusiastically. "You're feeling alright now, then?"

"Much better, yes.. thank you for everything." Ann said, giving a respectful bow.

"Not a problem at all dear, I'm glad you're on your feet again." Sue said happily, brushing a curl behind her hair. It was all decorated with hibiscus, and mostly pulled back into a loose bun.

"Uhm, Ann was wondering.. about a uh, well." Toby started, but felt too awkward to complete his thought and looked at Ann.

"Heh. A change of clothes… if that's possible?" She asked, taking a step towards the desk from behind Toby. A hopeful expression on her face.

Sue happily obliged, finding a nice sundress to replace Ann's sea soaked shorts and shirt. Once she'd cleaned up and changed, Toby was waiting on the steps outside the inn. Ann went to sit next to him, but he had started to stand. The two exchanged a laugh. Toby blushing, finding her to be rather pretty in the dress, and Ann blushing at the compliment before they set off for a stroll.


	8. Setting Sail

Author's Note: Yo! SO so sorry about having cut that last bit short. I wasn't feeling it last night. I hope this makes up for it a little. Tu T

* * *

An overhang looked out at the rest of the ocean, waves brushed up against the sides of the rocks. _And to think such a horrible storm happened awhile ago…_ Ann thought to herself. She squinted, as she watched the watery scene change with each incoming wave, and raised her hand to shield her eyes. Toby tapped her shoulder, a meek smile on his face as he offered her a hibiscus. "I thought it'd match the dress." He said shyly.

"Oh? Thanks. I hope the wind doesn't blow it away." Ann said, tucking the flower behind her ear. She waited a second to see if it'd stay before returning her hand to her side. Toby's grin only grew when she accepted the flower. _Heh… okay, that's uh. One point.. don't mess up, don't mess up…_

"So… you were on your way to Castanet right?" Toby asked, rocking back on his heels, pretending to look out at the water but kind of kept an eye on her from his peripherals. "I live there, with my uncle and cousin. I'm glad I was visiting the island."

"Heh.. me too, I suppose I would have been a goner, huh?" Ann said lightly. Things didn't seem to be bothering her too much anymore, and the headaches were starting to get lesser in frequency. Acceptance is the first step of course.

"If you need a place to stay for a while, and uh, don't mind the smell of fish too much… I'm sure we could arrange something." He offered, "I'm sure there was a reason you were coming, maybe the Inn there or Hamilton."

"Hamilton?" That was the second time she'd heard that name, but she didn't exactly know who to match it to. "I guess he's important, huh?" She asked, sitting down on one of the large rocks along the path.

With a chuckle, Toby nodded, sitting on the ground across from her, "Yeah, he's the mayor." he said with a shrug. "Kinda important, most of the time anyways."

Down the path a ways, Selena was marching up ever so annoyed. "TOBY." She yelled the second he was within her sights. "MO-SUE WANTS YOU TWO." Her yelling caused a few animals to skitter off, and Toby to stand up, brushing his pants off. He raised his hand with a thumbs up in response.

"Quite lively huh?" Ann said, moving to stand from her spot on the rock.

Toby offered his hand with a slight eye roll, "Guess our relaxing gets cut short." He was blushing again, that meek smile he had been offering was a bit more confident.

 _Heh, saving me and now offering his hand… geewiz…_ Ann thought, returning a small smile as she took his hand to be helped down. "Thanks," she said softly, not particularly letting go or holding his hand either. Toby noticed the calm but loose hold she had, it made him a little nervous to think she didn't seem to mind him holding on.

Walking back to the Inn was pleasant, Toby knew Sue needed them, but he didn't rush Anna in the slightest. Even though conversation was slow, they seemed to enjoy the company regardless. It wasn't until they approached the deck voices became audible, a few were recognizable to Toby, making him retract his hand the louder they got.

"There you two are!" Sue said, scurrying over to them. "This is my husband, Samson." A slightly taller man nodded had his arms crossed against his head, giving a nod of his head as he was introduced.

"Nice to meet you," Ann said softly, the man was a little intimidating to her, despite her having a slight height advantage. "I'm Anna."

"You can take us back to Castanet, right, Sam?" Toby asked, he could feel Ann's eyes drift towards him as he spoke, perhaps he failed to hide the begrudging tone in his voice.

"Course I can, just get all your things, come talk to me when you're ready to go."

 _His voice is like thunder…_ Ann thought, hovering a little close to Toby from the intimidation vibe Samson emitted. _It doesn't seem intentional though… hm…_

Toby talked with Samson for a bit while Ann went back to the room in the Inn to retrieve her backpack, finding a small trunk with salt washed clothing in it and a note:

Miss Anna,

This washed up, it looks like the one you had with you

No sign of the instrument case though

-Pascal

The first genuine smile came across her face at his note. She didn't know why, perhaps it was something familiar about his handwriting, or something her heart remembered about the trunk that her mind couldn't. It was starting to come to realization, she could only move forwards from here, no matter how hard it would be. The only thing she had was her determination, and a knight who lost his sun hat for her.

With bags in hand, Anna walked out into the lobby. All was quiet, aside from the ticking of a clock and seagulls outside. A strange feeling washed over her as she reached for the handle of the door. _Maybe, this really is just a dream… when I open this, will I wake up…?_ She thought hesitantly. The silence made it hard to trust her sense of reality, but the thought made her head hurt a little.

Shaking it off, she took a deep breath, opened the door to a small crowd of smiles. A sigh of relief fell from her lips as she smiled back, "I think I'm ready now, Samson." She stated, looking over at Sue after, "And thank you Sue, for letting me rest here."


End file.
